Alison Brie, Adam Pally, Molly Shannon & More Pay Tribute To Jeff Baena
Collaborators and friends alike are paying tribute to Jeff Baena, the indie filmmaker who died at the age of 47 over the weekend as a result of suicide. Baena, known for rich and darkly comic films like The Little Hours and Life After Beth, both starring his wife and frequent creative partner Aubrey Plaza, was mourned by Alison Brie, Adam Pally, Molly Shannon and many others.
On her Instagram Story, Brie — who worked with Baena on his 2020 Netflix project Horse Girl and the 2022 IFC Films pic Spin Me Round — posted a series of photos of herself and the late writer-director, accompanied by a broken red heart. The pictures ranged from behind-the-scenes photos and photoshoots to the Sundance Film Festival debut of Horse Girl and what appears to be on-location for a film shoot in Italy (both The Little Hours and Spin Me Round shot there). “Rest in peace, my friend,” she added.
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Brie also reposted Pally’s dedication: “Jeff Baena was a sweet, Jewish boy from Miami,” Pally began. “He was a collaborator, a mentor, the scrappiest basketball player with the ugliest jump shot you ever saw. He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, a fosterer of possibility, the guy who knows where the best restaurant was no matter where you were. An overly gracious host with an almost disturbing open door policy, a film encyclopedia, and most important to me a friend.”
Pally, who produced and starred in Baena’s 2016 dramedy Joshy, continued, “As a director Jeff strove for truth. Nothing could sound, look or feel inauthentic, and that is a direct representation of who Jeff was. Authentic. You never worried that Jeff wasn’t telling you the way it is. Cause Jeff’s virtue was telling you the way it was.”
In concluding, Pally said his “heart breaks for my friend Aubrey and the Baena family and for all of us who spent time on his sets or at his house or in his orbit.” He wrote, “Thanks for believing in me Jeff, may your memory be a blessing.”
Shannon also shared a series of photos with Baena including cast dinners and gatherings of Spin Me Round‘s stars: Ayden Mayeri, Ben Sinclair, Alessandro Nivola, Tricia Helfer, Debby Ryan, Tim Heidecker, Zach Woods, Lauren Weedman and Fred Armisen, as well as Brie and Plaza.
Weedman posted a photo of the auteur, writing that she “was thinking about not posting or posting about suicide or posting photos that’s he’s taken over the years and shared with me,” including the people he brought together or screenshots of “[David] Bowie trivia that would be to prove he always knew more about Bowie than I did.”
The comedian and actress continued, “I never had someone to geek out with over film and music…mostly Bowie like Jeff. I’ve worked with some incredible actors and shot 2 films in Italy and felt like I had a community in LA thru his game nights. He absolutely knew how to gather people and make art and create actual community. I felt lucky to know him and to have him as a friend. Very much an artist.”
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Having first worked with Baena on Joshy, the Hacks actress said the filmmaker promised “that I was going to be in every film that he ever made and that was true. I was hoping for so many more, but this is what we got. Thank you, Jeff. My god will I miss you.”
Heidecker reposted Shannon’s dedication, sharing more cast photos as Spin Me Round shot on-location for about four weeks near Pisa, Italy. “Love you @jeffbaena,” he wrote, “and so proud to have been a small part of your creative world.”
Naturally, Plaza’s social media has since flooded with messages of love and condolences. Among those wishing the actress and producer support were Selma Blair and Julia Fox. The former wrote on Plaza’s last Instagram post, “No words can touch this painful time. Only love and strength and support from everyone. I am so sorry.” The latter said, “Sending you so much love,” alongside a dove emoji.
Suicide is preventable and support can be found via a list of helplines here, and information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health can be found here. For additional support, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline via text.
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